Spurs will not do this trade.
They always rely on players they raised themselves - that why they are consistent.
They are also a classy team - Ron is a talented jerk. I cannot see them together...

Posted by Bonn1997:

TMS--would you not be at all concerned by Artests' multiple claims that he would retire after winning a championship? What if the Spurs had made this trade last (assuming Ron hadn't been suspended obviously)? Then maybe they still win the championship that they did win without him, Ron retires like he promised, and now in the 2005-6 season they have neither Bowen nor Artest and have no one to gaurd the top SFs in the league (counting Ginobili as an SG).

you guys speak as if it's a foregone conclusion that the Spurs will win a championship this year... it's not that easy guys... yes, they already have a great team, & yes, i do think they would have a good chance of winning the Finals this year even w/o making this trade, but IN MY OPINION that trade makes them significantly better... & yes, i do think they'd be crazy not to make the deal... & how do you know Artest would retire after winning a title anyway? the guy talks out of his butthole sometimes... a year ago he wanted to retire & become a rap artist for crying out loud... you can't take things he says seriously... & who's to say he'd ruin the team chemistry? the guy plays his butt off every minute he's on the floor & he's probably in the top 2 SF's in the game with AK47 (counting Lebron as a SG here)...

teams like the Spurs want to win championships... that's what they're built for... if Artest gives them a better chance to win a title, then it's a trade they should make in my view... same way the Bulls got Dennis Rodman as a key piece for their 2nd run of 3 peat championships... they'd won rings before he ever got there, but that didn't stop them from improving their team w/a more talented player... even as much of a headcase as Rodman was did he ruin their team chemistry?

Artest can be held in check by Duncan & Popovich the same way he can be held in check by Kobe & Jackson in LA if he ended up going there... all Ron Artest has to do is look at the shiny rings on Tim Duncan's finger & he'll behave... it's different if you put him on a team that hasn't yet been there like the TWolves or Rockets... Artest is more likely to act up & be stupid in that type of situation because he'll feel like he's the key piece for them to reach the next level, & therefore he'll be emboldened to do his own thing if he feels the team isn't on the right track... on a team like DET or SA, they've already done it w/o him, so you wouldn't have to worry about any of that... he'll have to fit in & follow the program they already have in place.

again, this is just MY OWN line of reasoning here... if you think differently, that's fine... personally i think SA would be nuts not to make that deal.

[Edited by - TMS on 01-06-2006 3:38 PM]